2 Libraries to Offer Story Time for Kids

In an effort to increase reading levels and instill a love of books among elementary and preschool-age children, the Avenue and Ojai libraries will begin a children’s reading program this month.

Dubbed Grandparents and Books, the program will feature senior volunteers reading stories to children in the library.

The Avenue Library in Ventura will begin its program today and the Ojai Library will kick off its program April 28.

“We’re just trying to have kids enjoy a book,” said Kit Willis, librarian at Ojai Library. “Often they don’t know that reading can be fun because all they see are textbooks, so we want them to know it’s possible to actually enjoy reading.”

The program is funded by a $10,000 state grant, which is used to buy books and train the volunteers.

According to the county’s Library Services Agency, recent research indicates that reading aloud to a child can greatly influence performance in school. Children who are read to often attain a higher level of scholastic achievement and develop a lasting habit of reading.

The same program has been run at Fillmore’s public library since 1993 and, according to children’s librarian Shauna Solace, has been a tremendous success.

“The kids have definitely improved their reading skills and they really seem to enjoy it,” she said. “We’ve even got some regulars now.”

The Avenue and Ojai libraries’ programs will run for at least six months, and organizers said they will try to make it a permanent addition.

For information on the Grandparents and Books program, call the Avenue Library at 643-6393 or the Ojai Library at 646-1639.